Voices from the Void
Some more info on the KUHAKU release party, Voices from the Void.
Oct 26, 2004
Midori at Bullet’s
Midori will be performing at Bullet’s this coming Sunday (October 31) as part of duo Glam Tool, who will feature “abstract-based music with a lot of pieces using voice samples.”
2004/10/31(Sun) 17:00 – 23:00 ¥2,000/D
Guest Live: Carl Stone
Live: Shika-jun, Nobuyuki Tanaka (Fourtails) , Glam Tool (Ji_ji w/ Midori)
DJ: Nobuki Nishiyama(HEADZ) , HYK(Fourtails) , NZA
VJ: BANANA CO.
Bullet’s
B1F Kasumi Bldg, 1-7-11 Nishi-Azabu
03-3401-4844
Oct 26, 2004
Take Art Collection 2004
The latest exhibition at Spiral:
In keeping with their “fusion of daily life and art” concept, Spiral presents another volume of the “Take Art” art fair that took place for the first time in 2003. The more than 80 featured artists range from big names such as Yokoo Tadanori or Araki to up-and-coming talents like Nawa Kohei, Sawada Tomoko, or Takagi Masakatsu, who keeps producing his video art around the world. Besides paintings, photographs and other two-dimensional works, the highly varied lineup of items on show includes also a number of three-dimensional pieces. The total number of displayed artworks amounts to over 400, all of which can be purchased at reasonable prices. You will surely find at the spiral-shaped venue some art items to pep up your home with. (REALTOKYO)
It ends November 7.
Update: I was able to check it out yesterday, and recommend that you do the same. One of the best things I’ve seen at Spiral.
Oct 25, 2004
The New Generation of Architects in Japan
The latest issue of the Asian edition of NEWSWEEK has a cover article that takes a look at the current generation of Japanese architects who are building a reputation outside of Japan, including names like Sejima Kazuyo and Nishizawa Ryue (SANAA), Ban Shigeru, Aoki Jun, Kuma Kengo, and Kishi Waro.
If you stroll down the chic boulevard of Omotesando in Tokyo, you’ll find plenty to catch your eye. Nearly every major fashion house has a boutique here, and the hip kids in fabulous outfits who amble along the leafy avenue compete with the lavish shop windows. But what really makes Omotesando the epicenter of Japanese style is the architecture. Prada’s famous new store by the Swiss team of Herzog & de Meuron—a luminous box of crisscrossed glass—is at one end of the street, but beyond that is an amazing assemblage of cool buildings by some of the best contemporary designers in Japan. From Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa’s diaphanous Dior building—as elegant and sexy as a silk slip—to Jun Aoki’s silver-mesh Louis Vuitton store to Kengo Kuma’s wood-slatted headquarters for LVMH, Omotesando is a design buff’s street of dreams.
Unfortunately, the online posting doesn’t include any of the pictures from the article (or any of the sidebars)
Oct 23, 2004
Haction
Haction is the company behind the great Braniff Airline exhibition that was held recently at the Parco Gallery in Shibuya, and they also run a cool online store called Tokyo Artist Mansion, where they carry merchandise for a few japanese artists, as well as Namaiki (I’m absolutely in love with the sold out “Namaiki Racing” tee). They also carry the goods from the Braniff show.
Oct 23, 2004
Nishimura Hiroyuki
Nice! The new edition of REDESIGNING TOKYO is up at REALTOKYO, and this time it features uber-popular Japanese message board 2-CHANNEL‘s creator, Nishimura Hiroyuki.
Oct 22, 2004
Short Shorts Film Festival Asia 2004
From REALTOKYO:
Held since 1999, “Short Shorts” is the only showcase event in Japan dedicated to short movies, and now finally a section focusing on Asian works is being launched. Even for this first installment there was a flood of entries from throughout Asia, and from the total of 412 submissions 51 titles were selected to be shown at this festival. Highlights include films by star directors such as Hong Kong’s Andy Lau or Korean Yoo Ji-Tae, as well as a work by a female director who is rumored to be Korean top star actor Bae Yong Joon aka Yong-sama’s girlfriend. I’ve already bought tickets for all programs myself, and if you’re as entusiastic about Asian movies as I am, I recommend you to miss not a single title shown here, as there will certainly be numerous Asian film stars of the future for whom this evet serves as a gateway.
The event takes place at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography October 29-31. They have an English version of the official site (with the schedule).
Oct 22, 2004
Tetsujin 28
There’s something I really like about this teaser poster for the live-adaptation of TETSUJIN 28 (also known as Gigantor in the North America), which comes out next Spring. The official site for the film also has a teaser trailer, but you don’t really see much.
Oct 22, 2004
Jumble 2004
OK, so I complained about how far the Claska Hotel is from Meguro station, but it doesn’t mean that I won’t be going there again, especially with the Jumble 2004 exhibition happening at the Claska Gallery at the end of the month (October 26-29). Have a look at the participating artists and brands:
Participating artists:
Dave White/Scott Patt/Skism/Marok/Enlightenment/Moog Yamamoto/Will Sweeney/Maya Hayuk/Deanne Cheuk/ The boo’s///DIY/Event10/Camille Vivier/Sanghon Kim/Big Photographic/Simon True/Pardon Kimura and more.
Dave White/Scott Patt/Skism/Marok/Enlightenment/Moog Yamamoto/Will Sweeney/Maya Hayuk/Deanne Cheuk/ The boo’s///DIY/Event10/Camille Vivier/Sanghon Kim/Big Photographic/Simon True/Pardon Kimura and more.
Participating brands:
Yoshida (Tokyo), Ma$$age(Tokyo), Staple(NY), Tim VS P.D.L.(Paris), Valuer(Tokyo), Mask(Berlin), Frederique Daubal (Paris), Oliver77.(Berlin), New Shopping Bag(Amsterdam), E&Y(Tokyo), Under Current(Tokyo), Non Sense(NY), Trico(Tokyo), Pacific Furniture Service(Tokyo), Multiple Core(Tokyo), Not Solid/Liquid(Tokyo) and more…
It’s presented by GAS.
Oct 21, 2004
GAS Online shop
This month saw the launch of the GAS Online Shop. Although they will be selling all of the GAS products (books, DVDs, t-shirts), the featured item right now is a shopping bag that is available in two sizes, and 41 color combinations. Orders can only be made within Japan.
Oct 21, 2004
Parking 246
And with these pics taken at the Parking 246 area, we end my series from this year’s October design events (which for me was mostly TDB and Swedish Style related). I wish I could have taken in more, but at the same time, I think I got my fill of design related happenings to keep me satisfied for a while. As exciting as it was to have all of these things taking place at the same time, a side of me would have preferred seeing them spread over the year, to be able to really take the time to check out what all these events are trying to put out there. And the typhoon didn’t help.
Shots taken with the W21S mobile phone.
Oct 21, 2004
Superslave
You’ll notice a new logo in the sidebar. I’ve always been a big fan of the Superfuture site, and as of now I’m writing reviews for them, as well as news bits. My first review, of Pause Cafe, is up. And a big public thanks to Wayne, co-creator of the site, for the excellent Superfuture t-shirt. It rocks.
Update: And I forgot to mention that the Superfuture t-shirt is by Loopwheeler. Very nice indeed.
Oct 21, 2004
Jean Snow is a contributor to 
He will be contributing to the upcoming fifth editions of 
